Jordan: Israel denying the region peace

Jordan’s Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, on Tuesday blasted Israel, after the Knesset approved the “United Jerusalem Bill” and the Likud Central Committee voted in favor of applying Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.

“Knesset approval of amended Basic Law on Jerusalem and decision by ruling party to annex settlements and impose sovereignty on West Bank are null and void under international law,” he tweeted.

“Israel continues to adopt illegal unilateral decisions that deny region the peace it deserves and is in world interest,” added Safadi.

Just last week, Safadi criticized Guatemala after it announced that it would follow in the footsteps of the U.S. and move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

“We reject #Guatemala decision to move embassy to #Jerusalem & condemn it as absurd provocation, violation of international law. Occupied Jerusalem is capital of #Palestinian state which must be established on June 4 1967 lines on basis of 2-state solution as only path to peace,” he tweeted.

Jordan is one of two Arab countries, along with Egypt, to have signed a formal peace treaty with Israel. However, the country’s parliament, which is made up mostly of Islamists, remains anti-Israel and its members have more than once called to annul the peace treaty.

Last month, the Jordanian parliament approved a proposal to establish a committee to reevaluate all formal ties with Israel, including the peace agreement. Such a decision, however, requires the approval of the government, the royal palace and the council advising Jordan's King Abdullah II.

Relations between Jordan and Israel have been tense in recent months, following a shooting incident in which a security guard at the Israeli embassy in Amman shot dead a Jordanian who attacked him at his residence.